The Municipal corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has hired an agency to carry out a survey of constructions in the 300-metre area around the ammunition depot.

The order is likely to impact nearly 30,000 people who live in around 6,000 houses set up on small plots without proper infrastructure.(Parveen Kumar/HT File)

In a strict warning to people living within 300 metres of the Air Force’s ammunition depot, a restricted area, the district administration on Wednesday ordered enforcement agencies to seal and demolish all new constructions and lodge FIRs against the violators.

The administration also ordered a survey report on existing encroachments to be submitted within 15 days. The Municipal corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has hired an agency to carry out a survey of constructions in the 300-metre area around the ammunition depot.

The order is likely to impact nearly 30,000 people who live in around 6,000 houses set up on small plots without proper infrastructure.

Vinay Pratap Singh, the deputy commissioner of Gurgaon, issued the orders on Wednesday after a meeting with officials of various government agencies. Singh asked the agencies to seek help from the police to ensure that residents do not hinder the survey work.

He said that teams of the Air Force would help the MCG teams in carrying out the survey, sealing and demolishing new constructions.

“This is a zero-tolerance zone and no encroachment will be allowed. We will remove all encroachments,” the DC said, adding that the agency is required to submit the report in next 15 days.

The order has left the residents, who are living within the 300-metre radius, worried.

Gaje Singh Kablana, former councillor of the area, said, “The administration will have to compensate people living here before removing the structures. We are not against the administration but the issue of compensation is in the Punjab and Haryana high court.”

The administration will submit the survey report to the high court.

Sudhir Chauhan, senior town planner (STP) of MCG, said, “The agency is doing its job and action will be taken on all encroachments, as per the directions of the high court after we submit the survey report. The survey will comprise collecting details of the house owners, Aadhaar number, ration card, voter card, etc. We have been lodging police complaints regularly against persons indulging in illegal constructions.”

On April 17, the district administration had filed an action-taken report in the high court and now, the next hearing in this matter is scheduled for February 26, 2018.

Major (retd) SN Yadav, a resident of Sector 21, said, “At least 300 metres from the ammunition depot should be completely clear of structures, including farmhouses. Marriages and celebrations take place in the farmhouses with the bursting of firecrackers, which pose a threat to the sensitive depot.”

The encroachments around the ammunition depot have been a big challenge for the district administration. On the basis of Works of Defence Act, 1903, that prohibits all types of construction activities in restricted areas, the ministry of defence had moved the high court against the Haryana government in 2010, when the court put a restriction on new construction.

In September 2016, the defence ministry submitted its affidavit to the high court, agreeing to reduce the restriction to 300 metres, on the condition that the district administration clears the encroachments.